Gates Slashes Gun Permits to 275 From 501 of 1983

There were 226 fewer people this year with concealed-weapon permits issued by Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates than just four years ago, according to documents the sheriff provided Thursday to The Times.

The decline from 501 permits in 1983 to 275 permits in 1987 came during a period in which Gates faced lawsuits seeking disclosure of permit holders’ identities.

“We . . . know some individuals have turned in their permits as the result of the courts making this information public,” sheriff’s Lt. Richard J. Olson said. “They did not want their names known for having weapons or being in a particular type of business.”

But one Gates critic, private investigator Preston Guillory, said Thursday that the list of permit holders has dwindled because Gates wants to appear to be more selective as a defense in a pending lawsuit.

In a federal lawsuit filed in 1978, Guillory alleged that Gates discriminated when denying him a concealed-weapon permit.

Guillory accused Gates of granting permits to his friends and political cronies.

Of the 275 gun permits for 1987, 257 remain active. Many of the current permit holders are judges, district attorneys, reserve peace officers and others involved in law enforcement, according to the documents released Thursday. Permit holders also include business men and women who cite a need for a concealed weapon as protection when transporting cash or valuables.

Among the more notable current permit holders are former state Sen. Dennis Carpenter of Newport Beach, the county’s lobbyist in Sacramento; Stephen Ray Knott, general partner of Knott’s Berry Farm; and David Perrin, a restaurant owner who in 1975 entered into a partnership with Gates to open an Irvine singles bar. Gates’ involvement in that venture ended after news stories pointed out that as a law enforcement official, Gates is barred from ownership of a liquor license.

Knott and Perrin are also among 31 Gates campaign contributors who held gun permits during 1987. Among the 501 permit holders in 1983, 42 contributed to Gates’ campaigns.

Carpenter, who Thursday said he may also have contributed nominal sums to Gates’ political campaigns, noted that he originally was awarded a gun permit by Gates’ predecessor, James A. Musick.

“I don’t think everybody should have one, and I’m glad everyone doesn’t,” Carpenter said. “I have it for personal protection, and I teach some people to shoot, and I am a former FBI agent and proficient in the use of firearms.”

Under state law, chiefs of police and county sheriffs have almost total discretion under the state Penal Code to issue permits to anyone deemed “of good moral character” whom they also determine to have “good cause” for carrying a concealed weapon.

In Orange County, virtually all permits are issued by the sheriff’s office.

Gun permits must be renewed annually and can be canceled, revoked or denied if the need for the permit no longer exists, Olson said.

In June, in connection with a lawsuit filed against Gates by CBS Inc., Superior Court Judge Robert Polis ordered the release of 501 gun permits that existed in 1983. The state Supreme Court ruled in the CBS case that the permits are public records and must be provided upon request.

The separate Guillory lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles is pending, and no trial date has been set.

Guillory said that when he filed his lawsuit, there were 900 gun permits issued by the Sheriff’s Department.

“We have been drawing a graph since 1978 and seen the sheriff’s numbers come down every single year since,” Guillory said. “It indicates to me the sheriff is getting ready for trial.”

Guillory asserted that Gates has become more selective in granting and renewing permits to appear to have only “a handful of heavy-weight, extremely valid” permit holders when trial begins, probably next year.

“But what the court will look at is not so much who has gun permits today but what was the situation back in 1978, when I filed the lawsuit,” Guillory said.

Gates could not be reached for comment, but Olson said the only considerations in granting gun permits are the Penal Code standards.

Olson said the number of permits has “varied over the years, depending on the needs shown by the individuals. And the needs change.”

Of the 257 current active permits, 128 are held by judges, district attorneys, reserve peace officers and other law-enforcement-related figures. Another 62 are held by business owners or employees. There are also 29 doctors and dentists holding active permits and generally citing the need for protection because they sometimes transport drugs.

Another 25 permit holders noted that they needed to carry concealed weapons because of their jobs in the private security field.

For example, a gun permit was issued Dec. 15, 1986, to Wayne Shizuo Ichiyasu of Laguna Niguel, who listed his occupation as “West Coast representative, commissioner of baseball.” Ichiyasu wrote on his application that he provides “personal protection and security services for (the) commissioner of baseball.”

COUNTY RESIDENTS WHO HOLD PERMITS FOR CONCEALED WEAPONS

About 257 persons hold active concealed weapon permits issued by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. The list was released Thursday at the request of The Times. Story on Page 1.

A-C Aldecoa, Fernando NMN, Yorba Linda

Alit, Philip Dick, Anaheim

Altheide, Gary Paul, Orange

Bagsic, Ferdinand Ongoco, La Palma

Baker, John Francis, Buena Park

Balaban, Stanley Martin, Cypress

Barber, Yvonne Barbara, Newport Beach

Bardin, James Nelson, Garden Grove

Barner, Donald Aldon, Fountain Valley

Barr, Chloe M., Laguna Beach

Barr, George Vincent, Laguna Beach

Bates, Daniel Edward, Santa Ana

Beaudoin, Gerald Godfrey, Westminster

Beck, Michael LeRoy, Irvine

Bell, Boyd William Sr., Orange

Bennett, Darrell Lee, Dana Point

Bertsche, William Carl, Laguna Hills

Beyl, Richard Allen, Orange

Bickel, Steven Barry, Mission Viejo

Blair, Edwin, Los Alamitos

Borris, Thomas James, Fullerton

Boston, Eugene Alfred, Buena Park

Bourne, Russell Dana, Anaheim

Bridgman, Bruce Carlton, Costa Mesa

Briggs, Francis Leslie, Cypress

Brokate, George Walter, Newport Beach

Brown, Bryan Frederick, Huntington Beach

Bruner, Oscar, Orange

Bryan, Frank, Placentia

Burns, Donald Snow, Corona del Mar

Calley, Francis Anthony, Mission Viejo

Capizzi, Michael Robert, Fountain Valley

Carpenter, Dennis Eugene, Nwpt. Beach

Carse, James Frank, Laguna Niguel

Carter, Brian Robert, Corona del Mar

Channels, Cedric Henry, South Laguna

Choate, Dennis Sheldon, Orange

Cleary, Lance Alan, Santa Ana

Cobb, John Bruce, Newport Beach

Cohen, Charles, Orange

Coltrane, Garland Wesley, Orange

Conley, John Dorsey, San Juan Capistrano

Cook, David Arthur, Los Alamitos

Copeland, Thomas Benton, Hunt. Beach

Cords, Richard Duryea Jr., Surfside

Corsiglia, David Robert, Anaheim

Cosentino, Adolf Michael, Laguna Hills

Cottle, Allen Octavius, S.J. Capistrano

Courtney, Robert Alvin, Tustin

Craig, Michael Wayne, Buena Park

Crothers, Frank J., Anaheim

Cuen, Elise J., Brea

Cuevas, Phillip Camp, Laguna Beach

D-G Dancey, Terrence William, Anaheim Hills

Davis, Boyd Allen, Laguna Niguel

DeLuca, Michael Sam, Santa Ana

Decker, David Thomas, Orange

Deitrick, William Ralph, Garden Grove

Delaney, James Edward, Rossmoor

Denghausen, Howard Oscar, Costa Mesa

Denney, Jack Harold, Seal Beach

DiMarco, Vincent Alexander, El Toro

Dicker, Keith Leonard, Santa Ana

Dickey, Everett Warren, San Clemente

Dickerson, Joe Arthur, Newport Beach

Doherty, Timmy J., Capistrano Beach

Draney, Nolan G., Mission Viejo

Dunow, Gordon Patrick, Huntington Beach

Durrett, Stephen Albert, Santa Ana

Elmers, John Henry, La Habra

Elterman, Daniel Israel, Irvine

Enquist, Martin George, Huntington Beach

Estes, Burl Eugene, Mission Viejo

Evans, Maurice Leo, Anaheim

Fannin, Michael Ray, El Toro

Fentnor, Robert Andrew, Orange

Ferguson, Jeffrey Malcolm, Rossmoor

Fitzgerald, Robert Ray, Corona del Mar

Flynn, John Lawrence III, Laguna Hills

Franco, Daniel Lara, Trabuco Canyon

Fraser, Robert William, Santa Ana

Friend, Lewis, Anaheim

Fuller, Earl Solomon, Fullerton

Gallardo, Amado Higuera, Santa Ana

Garell, Randy Joe, Santa Ana

Gaynor, Eugene Herman, Corona del Mar

Gilbert, Dore John, Laguna Hills

Giroux, Randall Joseph, Fullerton

Gladson, Donald Dean, Fullerton

Goldstein, Barry, Santa Ana

Gomberg, Edward Nicholas, San Clemente

Green, Rollin Michael, S.J. Capistrano

Greene, Robert Edward II, Santa Ana

Green, Roger Elliott, Mission Viejo

Gregg, Robert Charles, S.J. Capistrano

Grimler, Michael Richard, Irvine

Gronsky, Arthur Edward, Newport Beach

Grumkoski, Theodore E., Hunt. Beach

Grupenhagen, Esther Arlene, Anaheim

H-N Hanberg, Neuman George, Hunt. Beach

Haney, William Joseph, Fullerton

Harrold, David Robert, Orange

Harris, James Samuel, Orange

Heger, Scott Joseph, Mission Viejo

Heller, Jeffrey Ronald, Irvine

Herberich, Dwayne Robert, Yorba Linda

Hertel, Mark Weber, Anaheim

Hill, Edmund Clyde, Anaheim

Hill, Samuel A. Jr., San Clemente

Hollar, Phil S., Capistrano Beach

Holms, Lawrence John, Orange

Holmes, William Ray, Newport Beach

Hoose, Clinton M. Jr., Corona del Mar

Hopkins, Gerald Dennis, Anaheim Hills

Hudson, John Irvin, Santa Ana

Hughes, Theodore R., S.J. Capistrano

Hunter, Ted Wayne, Placentia

Ichiyasu, Wayne Shizuo, Laguna Niguel

Jackson, Jerald Ray, Corona del Mar

Jackson, Gary Raymond, Buena Park

Janson, John Joseph Jr., Hunt. Beach

Jewell, Cynthia Ann, Mission Viejo

Johnston, Robert Burney, Hunt. Beach

Jordan, John Edwall, Huntington Beach

Kamph, Thomas Ferber, Costa Mesa

Kelly, Robert Parker, Anaheim Hills

Kerr, Mark Dean, Buena Park

Kirkpatrick, David Sydnor, La Habra

Knott, Stephen Ray, Fullerton

LaForte, Frank Cosimo, Irvine

Ladner, Michael Dennis, Fullerton

Lange, David Kenneth, Fullerton

Leahy, John Joseph, El Toro

Leatherman, Robert E., Westminster

Leber, Grace Marie, El Toro

Lindberg, Richard Edwin, Orange

Linn, Lewis Gelwicks, Garden Grove

Lippincott, Christopher Jr., Hunt. Beach

Liversage, John Arthur, Santa Ana

Lohre, Gordon Orlando, Irvine

Lotz, David Norman, Anaheim

Lowry, Vernon Dana, Cypress

Lyons, Samuel Ewers, Santa Ana

Mack, David Patrick, Trabuco Canyon

Manos, William Stanley Sr., Anaheim

Manson, Jerry Wilbur, Santa Ana

Martois, John Sherman, Anaheim

Mattson, Eugene Louis, Fullerton

Mazzagatte, Peter Anthony, Cypress

McCartin, Donald Aaron, Costa Mesa

McFarland, Philip Howard, Fullerton

McLaughlin, Stephen Joseph, Rossmoor

Messnick, Stuart Alan, Cowan Heights

Methot, Robert Kendall, Newport Beach

Michel, Werner Frank, Cypress

Middleton, Charles J., Fountain Valley

Millard, Theodore Esau, Orange

Milne, Thomas Dawson, Jr., Orange

Mironoff, Leon, San Clemente

Morgan, Harold Denker, Irvine

Morine, Michael Charles, Fountain Valley

Moy, Frank, Anaheim

Munson, Kenneth Eugene, Los Alamitos

Murray, Peter George, Huntington Beach

Nedza, Joseph Charles, Orange

Newman, Michael Stuart, Irvine

Nezin, Michael William, El Toro

Nicoll, John William, Newport Beach

Nix, Thomas Elliott Jr., Fountain Valley

Norregard, Leslie J., Irvine

O-S Olander, Arne Edward, Midway City

Ostby, Carrie Janeen, La Habra

Perrin, David Sherwood, Santa Ana

Perry, Donald Leo, Jr., Santa Ana

Peters, James Lester, Laguna Niguel

Phillips, Richard Wilson, Garden Grove

Pisani, Ralph Michael, Anaheim

Porter, John Andrew, Anaheim

Ramos, Kyleen Marie, Laguna Hills

Raymond, Walter, Irvine

Reece, Donald Alan, Newport Beach

Reeder, James Randolph, San Clemente

Reidling, Michael Wiley, Santa Ana

Resnick, Gary Stanford, Mission Viejo

Richardson, Ronald Bertram, Orange

Richmond, Ronald LeRoy, Corona del Mar

Richardson, Linda Kay, Santa Ana

Riegel, John David, Yorba Linda

Roberts, Edward Frank, Fullerton

Robison, Craig Edward, Newport Beach

Rocco, Robert F., Garden Grove

Roe, Jimmie A., Yorba Linda

Rolland, Terry Steven, Orange

Rona, Mark Mandell, Huntington Beach

Royster, Marvin Keith, Santa Ana

Rubenstein, Arthur Alan, La Habra

Rutten, Phillip, Santa Ana

Saftig, Ernest Charles, Newport Beach

Sammons, William Richard, San Clemente

Sampson, Herbert Francis, Costa Mesa

Savaria, Bruce Edward, Laguna Hills

Schmitz, Ronald Paul, Mission Viejo

Schooler, Charles B. Jr., El Toro

Sering, Thomas Richard, Tustin

Shames, Ira A., Anaheim

Shapero, Alvin Abraham, Villa Park

Sharp, Edward Elias, Newport Beach

Shepherd, Alesandro Mack, Laguna Hills

Simer, Necip, Mission Viejo

Simko, Michael William, Huntington Beach

Sinclair, Donald D., Huntington Beach

Singer, Lloyd Irwin, Fountain Valley

Slick, Ronald J., Huntington Beach

Smith, Terry Ronald, Capistrano Beach

Snethen, Eric Wayne, Anaheim

Sokolski, Michael, Santa Ana

Stanford, Richard Wallace Jr., Fullerton

Stark, Robert Gordon, Orange

Steelman, Denny Ray, Laguna Niguel

Stipes, Leland Stanford, Westminster

Stoll, Walter Jacob, Placentia

Stone, Thomas Walter, Huntington Beach

Streger, Mitchell Isaac, Mission Viejo

Stroschein, Guilbert Theodore, Orange

Subnick, Howard D., Huntington Beach

Syfert, Glen Ervin, Huntington Beach

T-Z Takenaka, George, Santa Ana

Taylor, Elmer Edwin, Orange

Taylor, John Scott, El Toro

Thagard, George F. Jr., Newport Beach

Thompson, Ronald Leslie, Fullerton

Thrower, John Henry, Fullerton

Tobin, Thomas F., Anaheim

Torre, Stefano Jack, Newport Beach

Troska, James Louis, Costa Mesa

Turk, Arthur, Anaheim

Urbina, Hector Manuel, Garden Grove

Vallance, Mathew Scott, Yorba Linda

Veach, Richard Purnell, Costa Mesa

Veach, Thomas Harvey, Costa Mesa

Vennie, Gary Lee, Garden Grove

Voit, Willard Stimson, Balboa

Wagner, William Andrew, Fullerton

Warburton, John C., Huntington Beach

Warmington, William C., Newport Beach

Watts, George Eliot, Villa Park

Weatherspoon, Richard L., Anaheim

Wentworth, Theo. Jr., Corona del Mar

Wert, Kenneth Paul, Irvine

Whiteside, Richard Clinton, Irvine

Wilcox, Clark Edward, Orange

Williams, John Clay, Modjeska Canyon

Williams, Kenneth Luck, Jr., Hunt. Beach

Williams, William Earl, Cypress

Wilson, James Francis, Tustin

Young, William John, Anaheim

Young, Richard W., Huntington Beach